Box Score With less than 2 seconds left on the clock Kourtney Coleman of Troy laid up a buzzer beating shot to take a 90-88 win over the Alabama State University women's basketball team Sunday afternoon at the Trojan Arena.
 
With the loss, ASU slips to a 1-4 start on the season while Troy improves to 2-6.  In the first game back of the season Quentori Alford led Alabama State with 19 points and eight rebounds, while three other teammates joined her in double figures.  Danielle Gazaway scored 14, Nakiya Smith had 12 and Kierra Paige added 10 in the loss.  
 
“Although we had four girls in double figures we know we can score, we just need to figure out a way to defend the ball,” said head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson.  “We had 56 of our points off the bench you have to figure in since Nakiya or “Q” not starting so we had a lot of points spread out amongst all the players who played tonight.  Troy was never able to key in on just one player and it was interesting that the girls that we ran plays to actually knocked down shots, when they were called on and that was really good.  I am really not pleased with our defensive efforts.”
 
“It was also a blessing to have “Q” back tonight with 19 points and eight rebounds.  It was really good because she plays good defense.  By her being one of our captains, we needed that leadership on the floor tonight.  I also think that it gave the team a lift and more confidence that the team needed.”
 
In the first half of play Alabama State led by as many as 11 points, 30-19, Troy would then go on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 1 going into the half with the game knotted 45-45.  The game saw the game tied 14 times and 13 lead changes.  Both teams shot under 45 percent from the field.  The Lady Hornets did shot 30 percent from around the arch, while the Trojans shot 19 percent.
 
“It's a tough loss, especially when there is 0.8 seconds left on the clock and the game is tied and you are thinking that you will get a defensive stop and take the game into overtime,” said Freeman-Jackson “It's was a tough game, but I did see some things that I was impressed with.  I know one thing that we are going to have to do a better job at keeping people in front of us and play better defense.  We knew that Troy was averaging 80 points a game and I didn't want our girls to match that, but we have to be able to stop teams.  We are going to have to get multiple stops and play better defense and not go into games and think that we can out score people.  We are going to have to make the commitment on the defensive end.”  
 
Troy out-rebounded Alabama State by a 49-to-41 count and shot a solid 71 percent from the free stripe. Britney McCloud of Troy led all scorers with 26 points.
 
Alabama State will be back in action on Thursday, December 13 when they host the Colonels of Nicholls State in double header action with the Lady Hornets tipping off at 5:30.